Counter terror police undergo specialist training on taking out drivers who use vehicles as weapons

Counter terror police have undergone specialist training to prepare them to take out lorry drivers who are using their vehicles as weapons, it has been revealed.

Armed officers have also been issued with high powered ammunition capable of penetrating armoured glass in a bid to ensure they can respond to the changing tactics of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) inspired terrorists.

"I am confident... that an officer has the ability to fire at the cab of a lorry in order to bring it to a stop" Simon Chesterman, National Police Chief's Council lead on armed policing

The new training and equipment has been rolled out in a response to the terrorist outrages in Nice and Berlin, where Islamists used articulated lorries to drive into crowds causing mass loss of life and casualties.

In order to combat the increasing terrorist threat, the number of armed police across Britain is expected to rise to more than 10,000 by next year.

But the armed officers are also being specially trained in military style tactics in order to prepare them for every possible scenario.

Simon Chesterman, who is the National Police Chief's Council lead on armed policing said following the recent vehicle attacks, training had been changed and officers were now told to shoot the driver in the cab where necessary.

Mr Chesterman said: "As often happens the terrorists keep adapting their tactics. We have seen some horrible and different tactics lately using vehicles and lorries.

"It used to be that within our policy we used to talk about not shooting a moving vehicle, that was because of the danger we might cause if we fired at a driver then clearly we might cause a real problem with the vehicle.